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HPV Tonsil cancer: I'm very nervous about chemo and radiation
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Mar 19 11:56am | Replies (192)Comment receiving replies
I think California has 3 Proton machines? The problem is getting your insurance to cover them? I had the Photon machine. If I had it do all over, and if I had insurance to cover it, I'd go with the Proton. That's contrary to my ENT doctor who said it wouldn't make any difference. My problem is that my radiation treatment ruined my salivary gland and damaged my taste buds. My tastes are slowly coming back and I'm about 6 months out. I was just yesterday able to express my damaged salivary gland and it's much smaller now. It wasn't draining and enlarged. Kind of gross, but the expelled the old saliva and the taste was very strange? My gland is almost normal now.
If you have the money and can pay cash for the Proton, go for it. What stage are you? That may help you make a decision? You have nothing to lose. It may work out for the best?
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@harleytiger
Thanks, I'm stage 2.
My insurance covers proton. My copay is 20% up to my calendar out of pocket limit then everything is covered.
My doctors here say that the side effects from Proton are less than their IMRT but the differences are not significant. I'm still going to have swallowing and taste issues with Proton.
I found a Proton center in Oklahoma, I have family there I can stay with so that makes things a lot more affordable. MD Anderson proved too expensive. I gave them access to my medical records, I should be hearing back from them next week.
I'm also 71 with an enlarged prostate (no cancer) and a family history of Alzheimer's and dementia. Just wondering how much of all of this I want to subject myself to given what I have to look forward to.
Thanks